Mecandes’s Comments

Also related to this same issue: the big game companies are now requiring users to enter one-time on-line passcodes to enable the ability to play multiplayer (and also sometimes preorder DLC etc.) The idea is, only the original purchaser can play for free — if someone buys a used re-sale copy of the game, they need to pay for a code to access multiplayer.

But you see the problem for the modern gaming family: you can buy one copy of a movie and all sit on the couch and enjoy it together as a family, or buy a book and pass it around for a shared experience — but when it comes to Xbox multiplayer gaming, they are expecting you to now buy 4 copies of a $80 game in order to enjoy it together.

To add insult to injury: we pay Microsoft a monthly fee for access to multiplayer features! And yet they are now allowing companies to restrict that access with passcodes. It's absolutely unbelievable.